This is an analysis of the poem Poor Old Ship that begins with:

She wasn't much to brag about, she wasn't much to see,
A rusty, crusty hooker as a merchant ship could be;...

Elements of the verse: questions and answers

The information we provided is prepared by means of a special computer program. Use the criteria sheet to understand greatest poems or improve your poetry analysis essay.

  • Rhyme scheme: aabbccB ddbbccb XXbbccb eebbffB bbbbccX
  • Stanza lengths (in strings): 7,7,7,7,7,
  • Closest metre: trochaic pentameter
  • Сlosest rhyme: couplets
  • Сlosest stanza type: tercets
  • Guessed form: unknown form
  • Metre: 11010101110101 01010101010110 11010101111101 111011101111111 111000111100 111100111100 11111 011101011100110 10111101110011 11010111110101 11010100111111 111111111000 111011111100 111111 11010101110101 11010100010101 01010111110001 110010101111111 111111110110 111111110110 11111 11010111010111 11011100010111 11010101010010 111010101111111 1111111100100 111111111100 11111 11110011110101 010010101110101 01111111010101 11110101111111 100111110110 101111111110 111110
  • Amount of stanzas: 5
  • Average number of symbols per stanza: 394
  • Average number of words per stanza: 77
  • Amount of lines: 35
  • Average number of symbols per line: 55 (very long strings)
  • Average number of words per line: 11
  • Mood of the speaker:

    There are many exclamation marks in the poem. The speaker is excited. He or she has strong feelings on the subject that is described in the poem.

  • The author used lexical repetitions to emphasize a significant image; and, to, her, all, that, of, we, she's, times are repeated.

    The poet used anaphora at the beginnings of some neighboring lines. The same words all, she's are repeated.

    The author used the same word she's at the beginnings of some neighboring stanzas. The figure of speech is a kind of anaphora.

    There is a poetic device epiphora at the end of some neighboring lines her, 'em are repeated).

    The poet repeated the same word done at the end of some neighboring stanzas. The poetic device is a kind of epiphora.

If you write a school or university poetry essay, you should Include in your explanation of the poem:

  • summary of Poor Old Ship;
  • central theme;
  • idea of the verse;
  • history of its creation;
  • critical appreciation.

Good luck in your poetry interpretation practice!

More information about poems by Cicely Fox Smith